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Making a good car better is a considerable challenge, but the folks at Toyota have succeeded. The redesigned 2002 Camry raises the bar for family sedans and should go a long way toward keeping its status as the best-selling car, a title it has held for four straight years.

Buyers have long appreciated the Camry for being more sensible than sensual. Its appliancelike utility, solid build quality and reputation for reliability make a powerful statement to people who want a car that goes about its daily work without demanding special attention. Toyota celebrates that role for Camry and hopes the 2002 will embody a more emotional appeal.

After driving one around Kansas City for a few days, it became clear that the 2002 could just as easily be called Camry squared. It maximizes the traditional qualities of the brand but takes them to new heights. It is bigger, quieter, safer and more efficient. And it costs less. No, it doesnÕt give you the shivers with excess horsepower, and no, it won’t urge you to take corners like Jeff Gordon, but it performs its everyday duties with uncommon ease and competence. It rewards you with machinelike efficiency every time you turn the key.

The 2002 model lineup has been simplified. The base CE has been dropped and the LE now has more standard equipment. It starts at $18,970 with manual transmission, air conditioning, power windows, power locks, AM/FM/CD player, cruise control and power outside mirrors. The automatic begins at $19,800, which is $615 less than a comparably equipped 2001. The LE with the V-6 and an automatic transmission is $22,260, or $925 less than last year.

The new car costs less because development costs were slashed by one-third and it is easier to build. Manual windows are not offered, for example, so two window systems did not have to be engineered. Simplifying the production processes at the Georgetown, Ky., plant also saved money. Domestic content is roughly 85 percent, and that will rise to nearly 100 percent over the next few years.

Since the Camry is aimed at the broad middle segment of the market, its styling is pleasant without being too bold. Attention to detail lets it slip through the air with a 0.28 coefficient of drag, and that saves fuel and reduces noise.

Lack of noise is a Toyota trademark, and this one is notably quiet. The body structure and floor pan have been tweaked for added stiffness. Curved panels in the floor, for example, and braces under the seats and in the spare tire well eliminate road noise. The new four-cylinder’s exhaust note sounds vigorous without being intrusive, but wind and road noise have been muted effectively.

I drove a green LE equipped with the all-new 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, anti-lock brakes, power driver seat, JBL stereo with six-disc in-dash CD changer, moonroof, rear sunshade and floor mats. It was priced at $22,799. This car is typical of the one that will account for about 75 percent of sales.

The 107.1-i nch-wheelbase chassis platform was first used under the Highlander sport-utility vehicle. Compared to the previous Camry, the 2002 is taller, wider and two inches longer. Consequently, there is more room for people, especially in the back seat, where legroom rivals that of the Avalon. The seating position is more upright than before, and the hip point is higher. Both make it easier to get in and out.

A rear-window sunshade that is part of an option package that includes a moonroof and upgraded stereo system is handy for those who haul youngsters in the back seat.

With the split-folding back seat down, the trunk can accommodate objects up to 6 feet long, although the pass-through from the trunk to the back seat is about 36 inches wide and 13 inches tall. The sloping roofline requires careful entry into the back seat so you don’t bump your head.

The totally new 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine cranks out 157 horsepower, a 15 percent increase over the last engine. More i ortantly, added torque lets the Camry move away from a stop with plenty of authority. It qualifies as an Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle and gets 23 miles per gallon in the city and 32 on the highway with the automatic transmission. The automatic is so efficient that the five-speed manual gets only 1 mpg better mileage.

Negatives? The power steering is almost too light at low speeds, the front seats would have better under-thigh support if the bottom cushions were longer and the power outlet in the center console looks like an afterthought.

Price
The LE has a base price of $19,800. The test car was equipped with anti-lock brakes, keyless entry, power driver’s seat, JBL premium stereo with six-disc in-dash CD changer, power moonroof, rear-window sunshade and floor mats. The sticker price was $22,799.

Warranty
Three years or 36,000 miles.

Point: The redesigned 2002 Camry feels as smooth as well-oiled ball bearings. It is bigger, more efficient and costs less. The new four-cylinder engine is so good it makes the V-6 seem superfluous. Rear-seat legroom rivals that of the Avalon.

Counterpoint: The front seats have short bottom cushions, the small pass-through from the trunk to the back seat limits the size of cargo and the power outlet in the center console looks like an afterthought.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Engine: 2.4-liter, 157-hp 4-cyl.
Transmission: Automatic Front-wheel drive
Wheelbase: 107.1 inches
Curb weight: 3,142 lbs.
Base price: $19,800
As driven: $22,799
Mpg rating: 23 city, 32 hwy.
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